Unitary internal combustion engine



Sept. 25, 1956 v. J. cRlMl UNITARY INTERNAL coMBusToN ENGINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 12, 1954 SWW m w56 v.4 J. CRIMI 297645,134

UNITARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb, l2, 1954 3 Shees-Sheet 2 EN TOR.

5mt, 275, '1956 v. J. cRlMl UNITARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed. Feb. l2, 1954 3 quiring the use of wristpin connections between the pis tons 18 .and the crank 17.

Each cylinder is provided at its top portion with a fuel admission valve 23 which is slidably mounted in a suppor-ting housing 24 and which has a conical valve head at its lower end biased toward seating engagement with a valve opening formed in the top wall of the cylinder, the valve being urged upwardly by the biasing `spring 25. Spring 25 bears on the housing 24 at its lower end and bears upwardly on la collar 26 on the valve rod, urging the valve upwardly toward seating position. The top end of each valve rod carries a transverse contact element 27 which is normally conductively engaged with |a pair of switch contacts 28 and 29 supported on suitable insulated bracket means 30 mounted on the valve housing 24. The valve rod is pivotally connected to one end portion of a lever 31, which in turn is pivotally connected at its intermediate portion to the bracket 30. Pivoted to the other end portion of `the lever- 31 is a depending rod member 33 which extends slidably and sealingly through the housing 24 into the top portion of the cylinder 14 and which is of a sucient length so that it will be engaged by the piston 18 as the piston moves upwardly toward the top of the cylinder. As the piston engages the rod 33, it causes `the lever 31 to rotate counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, causing the fuel admission valve 23 to open. After a short period, during which fuel is admitted into the top end of the cylinder and is ignited by a spark plug 35, the contact 27 disengages from the stationary contacts 29 and 28, opening the ignition circuit.

The spark plug 35 may be located in the top wall of the cylinder, or alternatively, may be mounted in a side wall thereof, as shown in Figure 3a, wherein the spark plug 35 is illustrated as mounted in the side wall of the engine block with its electrodes exposed in the upper lateral portion of the associated cylinder, providing the same effect as in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2.

As is clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the 4high tension electrode of each spark plug 35 is connected by a ltermi-1 nal wire 36 to a respective stationary contact 29. Provided in the bottom wall of the crankcase 12 are respective switch cylinders 37 containing spaced stationary contacts 38 and 39, each cylinder 37 being provided with a conductive plunger 40 slidable in the cylinder. Each plunger 40 is pivotally connected to the end of a lever 41, the opposite end of the lever 41 -being connected to the bottom wall of the crankcase 12 by a spring 42 biasing the lever 41 countercliockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, and thereby biasing the conductive plunger 40 upwardly out of engagement with the contacts 38 and 39. Each lever 41 has its forward portion, adjacent the conductive plunger 40 thereof disposed beneath the periphery of a respective crank disc 16, said discs being formed with respective cam-like projections 44 adapted to engage the levers 41 to bridge the contacts 38 and 39 of lthe respective plunger switches, lat the times corresponding to the respective firing times for the respective cylinders. Thus, as shown in Figure 6, the projections -44 are separated by angles of 30, and the respective projections are arranged Ito engage the levers 41 to close the associated contacts 38 and 39 when the associated fuel admission valve 23 is opened and just before the associated conductive switch element 27 disengages from its contacts 28 and 29. The length of closure of the plunger 40 with its contacts 38 and 39 is in accordance with the length of dwell of the lassociated cam-like projection 44, and the length of the stationary contacts 28 and 29 may be made sufficiently long so that the wiping contact member 27 engaging the contacts 28 and 29 will not disengage from said contacts 28 and 29 until the contacts 38 and 39 have been closed for a sufficient time to cause the associated spark plug 35 to fire.

As is shown in 'Figure 2, the switch contact 28 is connected to the switch contact 38 by a conductor 45 and the switch contact 39 is connected to a high tension wire 46 which is energized by any suitable means, such as aV y Of course, at this time the associated fuel admission valve is open. Thus, in order to start the engine, it is merely necessary to close the ignition switch, shown at 48, to energize the spark coil 47, providing a spark in the top portion of the said one cylinder, wherein fuel is admitted through the open fuel admission valve, producing combustion of the fuel, and causing the engine to start.

rIhe intermediate portion of each cylinder is formed with an exhaust port 49 connected to an exhaust conduit 50. Each piston 18 is formed at one side with a depending exhaust valve plate element 51 which covers the exhaust port While the piston is in the portion of the` cylinder above the port, allowing the port to be exposed when the piston is moved downwardly past the port. Thus, after the cylinder has fired and the piston is moved downwardly on its power stroke, when the port 49 is ex-l posed, `at the conclusion of said power stroke, the products of combustion may escape from the cylinder through the conduit 50.

The conduits 50 are connected to a conventional exhaust manifold 52.

Each cylinder is formed opposite the exhaust port 49 with .a blower port 53, and each piston 18 is provided opposite the valve plate element 51 with a second, similar depending valve plate element 54 which covers the blower port 53 while the piston is in the portion of the cylinder above the ports 49 and 53, the blower port 53 becoming exposed when the piston moves below the port, whereby air may be blown through the cylinder to provide a scavenging action and to blow the products of combustion out of the cylinder through the exhaust port 49.

Each blower port 53 is connected by a conduit 55 to the outlet of a blower 56. The blower 56 is drivingly coupled by a suitable gearing to a vertical shaft 57, which in turn is drivingly coupled by gearing 58 and a transmission shaft 59 to the crankshaft 15.

As shown in Figure 3, the shaft 59 is journaled in the wall of the crankcase 12 and has an external bevel gear meshing with a bevel gear on the lower end of the shaft 57. At its inner end, the s'haft 59 is provided with a bevel gear 60 which meshes with a bevel gear 61 provided on the crankshaft 15.

The driven shaft 57 also is employed to drive a compressor 62 which is provided between the carbureter and the fuel admission housings 24 to suitably compress the fuel mixture furnished by the carbureter, shown at 65, and to deliver the compressed fuel mixture into the fuel admission valve housings 24. As shown in Figure 3, the outlet conduit 63 from rthe carbureter 65 connects to the intake port of the compressor 62, and the outlet port of the compressor 62 is connected by a conduit 64 to the respective fuel conduits 66 leading to the respective fuel admission valve housings 24.

Secured -to the forward ends of the engine crankcase 12 and cylinder block 13 is an air admission housing 67 having the air admission opening 68 at its forward end and containing a refrigerator 69. A fan unit 70 is prov-ided in the housing 67 adjacent the air admission opening 68, said fan unit 70 being driven from the crankshaft 15 by a belt 71. Also driven from the crankshaft 15 is the generator 72 and the compressor 73 associated with the refrigeration assembly 69. Said refrigeration assembly 69 includes the condenser 74 which is disposed rearwardly adjacent the fan unit 70 so as to be cooled by air blown 'into the housing 67 by said fan unit. The refrigerant from the compressor 73 is supplied to cooling coils 75 which extend through the cooling jacket 76 surrounding the cylinders 14. The jacket 76 may contain a suitenseres able heat transfer medium, such as water or the like, for conducting heat away from the cylinders ld to the cooling coils 75. Therefore, a water cooling radiator is not necessary and the refrigerator 69 may be employed in place thereof, providing a considerable saving in space and reducing the overall size of the engine.

As shown in Figure l, the vehicle is provided with the door board 77. Pivoted to a bracket 78s is the brake pedal 79. Designated at 8d is the brake cylinder in which is disposed the brake piston having the piston rod 8l. The rod 8l is connected to a lever 82 which is pivotcd at d3 to a bracket Sd secured to the under side of the iioor board 77. A spring connects the end of the lever 32 to a depending lug do secured to the chassis of the vehicle beneath the cylinder be, `biasing the lever S2 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure l, namely, toward brake-re lease position. When the lever 82 is rotated clockwise, the rod til applies braking force on the brake piston to apply the vehicle brake. The lever 32 is provided with an arm S7 extending through an opening 83 in the iioor board and having a roller 88 journaled to its end which engages beneath the forward portion of the brake pedal 79. When the forward portion of the brake pedal 79 is depressed, the lever 32 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figure l, to apply braking force.

The carbureter 65 is provi ed with the throttle lever 9th, and the end of the lever @il is pivotaily connected to a rod 911. Rod 91 extends slidably through an aperture in a lug 92 provided on a link rod 93 pivotally connected to the forward end of the brake pedal 79, a stop nut 9d being provided on the rod @l to allow a pulling force to be applied to the rod 9i when` the brake pedal 79 is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure l, namely in a direction opposite to that for applying the brakes.

The brake pedal 79 is provided at its forward end with an upstanding, rearwardly directed airm 95 which defines a channel portion therebeneath for receiving the operators toe. The brake pedal 'i9 is provided on its rear end with an opstanding stop element 9o to engage the operators heel.

As shown in Figure l, the motion of the brake pedal 79 is guided by the provision of a guide rod 97 which is pivotally and slidably connected to the under side of the brake pedal 75B by a pin and slot connection Gti, the guide rod 97 being slidably received yin a guide sleeve 99 secured to the under side of the fioor board 7'7, the guide rod 97 extending slidably through the iloor board and through the sleeve 99, as is clearly shown in Figure l. Thus, when the operator desires to accelerate the engine, he rotates the brake pedal 79 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure l, and this causes the throttle lever 9d to open the throttle valve in the carburetor This provides an increased fuel charge in the cylinders, causing the desired acceleration. On the other hand, when it is desired to apply the brakes, the operator rotates the brake pedal 79 clockwise, as viewed in Figure l, causing the brake lever 82 to apply a braking force to the piston of the brake cylinder titi, and since the rod 93 is free to slide relative to the rod @il when the brake pedal is moved clockwise, the braking motion of the brake pedal 79 has no affect on the throttle lever 9d.

ln the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 1l and i2, the brake pedal is shown at 79 and is guided for movement in a vertical plane between a pair of arcuate, opstanding guide bars ldd, itil secured to the door board 77 in upstanding parallel positions adjacent the opposite forward portions of the side edges of the brake pedal. The for ard portion of the brake pedal, shown at 79', is connected to the carburetor throttle valve by a flexible chain itil, providing the same type of connection as that obtained by the use of the rods 91 and 93 in the previously described form of the invention. Pivcted to the forward end ofthe brake pedal 79 is the upstanding, rearwardly directed arm 95 which nray be at times rotated to a position disengaged from the operators toe,

as shown in dotted view-in Figure ll, but which is at other times `releasably engaged by resilient latch members 103, 103 secured to the brake pedal at opposite sides thereof, said latch members being provided with inwardly directed detent elements 104 at their top ends adapted to lockingly engage with the side edges of the arm to retain said arm in a position dening a channel at `the forward end of the brake pedal to receive the operators toe. As in the previously described form of the invention, the pedal '79 may be employed both to apply the brakes, when the pedal is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure ll, or to accelerate the engine, as when the pedal is rotated counterclockwise by elevating the operators toe.

When the arm 95 is to be moved to `an inoperative position, the operator merely flexes the latch arms 103, 103 outwardly, allowing the ann 95 to be released and to be rotated upwardly to the inoperative position shown in dotted view in Figure ll, allowing the operator to control acceleration by merely exerting the proper force on the pedal 79 adjacent the heel stop 9o to produce the desired amount of acceleration.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved internal combustion engine and control means therefor have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. ln an internal combustion engine, a crankcase, a crankshaft having a plurality of crank discs arranged in spaced relation thereaiong, a cylinder block including a plurality of cylinders arranged over said crankshaft so that a cylinder is above a crank disc of said crankshaft, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, a disc member slidably mounted in each cylinder below and spaced from said piston, a first spring means connecting each of said disc members to the associated piston, and a second spring means connecting each of said disc members to the associated crank disc.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a crankcase, a crankshaft having a plurality of crank discs arranged in spaced relation therealong, a cylinder block including a plurality of cylinders arranged over said crankshaft so that a cylinder is above a crank disc of said crankshaft, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, a disc member slidably mounted in each cylinder below and spaced from said piston, a first coil spring interposed between each of said disc members and the associated piston and having one end operatively connected to said disc member and having the other end operatively connected to said piston, and a second coil spring interposed between each of said disc members and the associated crank disc and having one end operatively connected to said disc member and having the other end operatively connected to said crank disc.

3. ln an internal combustion engine, a crankcase, a crankshaft having a plurality of crank discs arranged in spaced relation therealong, a cylinder block including a plurality of cylinders arranged over said crankshaft so that a cylinder is above a crank disc of said crankshaft, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, a disc member slidably mounted in each cylinder below and spaced from said piston, a first coil spring interposed between each of said disc members and the associated piston and having one end operatively connected to said disc member and having the other end operatively connected to said piston, a second coil spring interposed between each of said disc members and the associated crank disc and having one end operatively connected to said disc member and having the other end operatively connected to said crank disc, and a subsidiary coil spring concentrically disposed with respect to said irst named coil 7 spring and secured to the under face of each of said pistons and the other end of said first named coil spring.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 568,115 Klein septgzz, 1896 712,805 Judson Nov. 4, 1902 981,331 Twitcheu Jan. 1o, 1911 8 Blair Feb. 20, 1912 Finley et al Feb. 9, 1926 Hansen July 3, 1934 McNeil Ian. 9, 1940 Hayes Ian. 4, 1944 Wantz July 29, 1947 Parker Jan. 2, 1951 Deputy Feb. 3, 1953 

